Dispur committed to check Assam fake news about COVID-19

n Review meeting with DIPR officials held

GUWAHATI: Media Advisor to the Chief Minister Hrishikesh Goswami on Monday reviewed steps and measures taken by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Assam to check fake news.

"We are unitedly fighting against this pandemic and at this juncture, the spread of fake and incorrect news is detrimental to the society," Goswami said while holding the review meeting with DIPR officials here on Monday evening.

Goswami emphasised that the cases of publication of such fake and incorrect news in the print media should be reported to the Press Council of India (PCI) and such news in electronic media be brought to the notice of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) respectively.

Goswami has been regularly reviewing the publicity campaign undertaken by DIPR, Assam to fight COVID-19

Director of DIPR Anupam Choudhury apprised the Media Advisor in detail about the steps and measures taken by the directorate for checking of fake news.

As per the Supreme Court's order on March 31, the DIPR has already taken necessary measures to identify and check fake news. In this regard, necessary instructions have already been issued to the DIPROs and the SDIPROs across the State. Choundhury also informed Goswami that 12 cases have been registered so far pertaining to fake news. Further, seven persons have been arrested; 100 numbers of persons have been put under counselling and more than 100 posts in the social media have been removed.

The review meeting was also attended by Additional Director, DIPR, Pradeep Brama, Deputy Director, Pramod Dutta and other senior officials of the Directorate.

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